The present invention relates to container caps. More particularly, the invention is directed to a tamper evidencing cap for use with containers for ingestibles, such as herbs, spices, and other powdered food products, medicines in pill or capsule form, etc.
Tamper evidencing packaging is not new to the food industry. For many years products such as beer, wine, and salad-dressing, which are sold in glass bottles, have been packaged with labels or plastic shrink bands wrapped over the cap. Caps used on plastic milk and juice bottles are manufactured with tear-away or break-away bands which must be removed to open the bottle. Products such as breakfast cereal, crackers, and cookies are sold in sealed boxes. However, many food product packages traditionally include no tamper evidencing means, and are therefore highly vulnerable to tampering. These are often inexpensive items whose manufacturers have considered the added expense of tamper evidencing packaging to be cost-ineffective.
One example where it has been an almost industry-wide practice to date not to use tamper resistant or tamper evidencing containers is in the spice industry. Spices are usually sold in powdered, crushed, or flaked form and packaged in lightweight metal or plastic cans with plastic caps. Typically, spice and herb containers have caps with sift holes, a pour hole, or a spoon hole, or a combination thereof, which are covered by one or more hinged, sliding, or rotating lids. The only tamper proof mechanism presently in common use with spice containers is a knock-out panel ocassionally found in the main opening or spoon hole.
Packaging of herbs and spices has changed little over the years. Container caps that were introduced twenty years ago are still in use. Typical examples of spice container caps that can be found on store shelves today are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,675,812, issued July 11, 1972; 3,469,732, issued Sept. 30, 1969; 3,255,928, issued June 14, 1966; 3,251,509, issued May 17, 1966; and 3,095,995, issued July 2, 1963, all to John A. Foster; 3,542,235, issued Nov. 24, 1970 to Walter E. Hidding; 3,397,823, issued Aug. 20, 1968 to Wylie C. Kirkpatrick; 3,262,606, issued July 26, 1966 to Neil S. Waterman; and 3,155,285, issued Nov. 3, 1964 to Paul S. Van Baarn.
There have been several designs for tamper proof spice container caps developed to date; see, for example, Foster U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,255,928 and 3,251,509. However, lack of consumer interest and cost effectiveness have prevented them from becoming a success in the marketplace. One recent example of a tamper evidencing cap for spice containers is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,250, issued Nov. 30, 1982 to Foster. This design is limited to container caps including a hinged lid which is bordered on either side by the cap, and cannot be applied to the most common container cap designs. In addition, the small size of the web connectors leaves open to question the practical effectiveness of the visibility to the consumer of the cap's tamper evidencing feature.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently promulgated regulations requiring tamper evidencing packaging for drugs sold over-the-counter to consumers. Such packaging must have an indicator or barrier to entry which, if breached or missing, can reasonably be expected to provide visible evidence to consumers that tampering has occurred. Currently available packaging systems considered by the FDA to meet this requirement include film wrappers; blister or strip packs; bubble packs; shrink seals and bands; foil, paper, or plastic pouches; bottle seals; tape seals; breakable caps; sealed tubes and cartons; and aerosol containers.
The FDA is presently considering extending its regulations to include food products. Consequently, the provision of tamper evidencing means for spice containers may soon become not only desirable, but also necessary. However, there are a number of problems associated with the design of a tamper evidencing cap for spice containers.
Tamper evidencing mechanisms used for other kinds of containers, including those accepted by the FDA, and tamper evidencing mechanisms previously proposed for spice containers, have not been suitable for use with the standard cap configurations used in spice containers. Adhesive strip sealing around the cap (a la Tylenol-type packaging) is expensive and makes it difficult to stack and package spice containers in larger shipping containers as well as to stack the containers on store shelves. The knock-out panel used in spoon holes is inconvenient, usually requiring the use of a utensil and considerable force to remove it; often it falls into the container where it cannot be removed. Also, knock-out panels are not suitable for use with small openings, such as sift holes or a pour hole.
A tamper evidencing cap must be easy for the consumer to use, but strong enough to resist breakage or separation from the container due merely to normal handling during manufacture, shipping, storage, and display. Also, the evidence of tampering must be visible to the manufacturer, retailer, or consumer on casual inspection.
Typically, spice containers are stacked for storage and display side by side and one on top of the other. Thus, the relationship between container cap dimensions and the can dimensions is critical. The cap at its widest point must be the same width as the can at its widest point, or the containers will lean over and fall when placed side by side. Also, the top of the container cap must fit inside the bottom of the container can, or the containers will slide and fall when stacked on top of each other. The tamper proof tear strips and other mechanisms that have been proposed or are presently in use on other kinds of containers do not satisfy these dimensional requirements.
The tamper evidencing container cap of the present invention overcomes disadvantages associated with previously known or proposed devices.